Bakelite

Bakelite is a thermoset material that holds a special place in the development of Plastic products. Invented by chemist Leo Baekeland in 1907 while doing research on phenol formaldehyde resins. He subsequently founded the Bakelite Corporation and the material quickly became well known for its unique properties. Its heat resistance and excellent electrical insulation properties made it suitable for use in switchboards and electrical control panels and insulators. During World War II new applications for Bakelite were developed in Military equipment and Aircraft components such as pulleys and wear pads.

It is still manufactured and in regular use today. Basically, it’s a phenolic resin that is now often reinforced with a fine weave cloth or paper to make sheets and tubes for industrial applications.